Celia, This is my favorite Christmas song also. I only learned all the words last year and it conveys so sweetly what I consider the true meaning and wonder of Christmas, and of life and love. I ordered a most beautiful, out-of-print book, Good King Wenceslas illustrated by Jamichael Henterly, published in 1988. I highly recommend it, though it is hard to find. ps: I also love the depiction of how a true leader acts -- with compassion and consideration of their constituents. May we envision and soon live in such a world. <3
In high regards to the writer I’ve followed since my Christmas gift subscription to Esquire, my favorite for you is “Guardian Angel”. A gym like you it was composed by Adolph “Harpo” Marx, sung by Mario Lanza and conducted by Frank Sinatra.
From my immigrant father (His favorite song) and back in the late 90’s when I moved to FL for university, he offered a subscription to NatGeo like his, which would provide a view of the world from my apartment whenever I felt tempted to stray from my studies. Esquire is what I picked because of you and Granger.
I liked David Granger. I only ever wrote one article for them—the OJ one, "Whistling In The Dark" published 1998. What a crazy time that was. The whole world lost its mind of every utterance from OJ Simpson and I somehow got caught up in it.
I just had the subscription just for ‘98 and like you and Granger, my literary journey took separate paths. This year I’ve recreationally read Ibsen’s “The Master Builder”, Hesse’s “The Glass Bead Game” and Power’s “The Overstory”. What are you reading Celia?
You know very well I did some time back in my M.C. days at Terminal and San Quinten and still "roll" with them hard-*ss Birminghams who coo a lot. Wasn't Granger & Nollan representing Hunter on his memoire "Beautiful Things: How The Media Turns Crime Into Entertainment and Subverts Justice"?
Arthur Fiedler and The Boston Pops Christmas Album was the most played Christmas music in my home growing up. I still listen to it, but online now every Christmas. ❤️
What a pleasant surprise to learn that Neale was involved in this so satisfying song. Several years ago I learned about him in a different context:
In 1852 John Mason Neale (1818–1866) delivered a lecture at Brighton, England which was published as "The Bible, and the Bible Only, The Religion of Protestants." Neale was an Anglican priest and scholar. He declared that the Church of England never was and is not now Protestant.
I found this gem (I read the lecture and found it fascinating) while researching an English family distantly connected to mine.
The full version, Longfellow's poem and spirit shines thru in spite of the personal and collective misery, fear and pain of the times. We could learn from it.
It has always been my favourite Christmas Carol, too. Takes me back to being in the fourth grade in the late '50s, singing it and others in the classroom while making paper tree decorations. All of that is forbidden now, isn't it.
Good King Wenceslas: shocking that I never knew the words, they so embody the Christmas spirit. Will learn them. Trying to amp up the true holiday spirit, this will sure help. Big thank you
An interesting related subtopic -- The Secularization of Christmas in the 20th century, and the wildly disproportionate participation in it of that 2% group:
Celia, This is my favorite Christmas song also. I only learned all the words last year and it conveys so sweetly what I consider the true meaning and wonder of Christmas, and of life and love. I ordered a most beautiful, out-of-print book, Good King Wenceslas illustrated by Jamichael Henterly, published in 1988. I highly recommend it, though it is hard to find. ps: I also love the depiction of how a true leader acts -- with compassion and consideration of their constituents. May we envision and soon live in such a world. <3
In high regards to the writer I’ve followed since my Christmas gift subscription to Esquire, my favorite for you is “Guardian Angel”. A gym like you it was composed by Adolph “Harpo” Marx, sung by Mario Lanza and conducted by Frank Sinatra.
https://youtu.be/M_FD5yutYWE?si=AAAxHIQme4UpjiIm
I love this. Thank you.
Christmas gift subscription to… Esquire?
From my immigrant father (His favorite song) and back in the late 90’s when I moved to FL for university, he offered a subscription to NatGeo like his, which would provide a view of the world from my apartment whenever I felt tempted to stray from my studies. Esquire is what I picked because of you and Granger.
I liked David Granger. I only ever wrote one article for them—the OJ one, "Whistling In The Dark" published 1998. What a crazy time that was. The whole world lost its mind of every utterance from OJ Simpson and I somehow got caught up in it.
Is Esquire still publishing?
I just had the subscription just for ‘98 and like you and Granger, my literary journey took separate paths. This year I’ve recreationally read Ibsen’s “The Master Builder”, Hesse’s “The Glass Bead Game” and Power’s “The Overstory”. What are you reading Celia?
You know very well I did some time back in my M.C. days at Terminal and San Quinten and still "roll" with them hard-*ss Birminghams who coo a lot. Wasn't Granger & Nollan representing Hunter on his memoire "Beautiful Things: How The Media Turns Crime Into Entertainment and Subverts Justice"?
Arthur Fiedler and The Boston Pops Christmas Album was the most played Christmas music in my home growing up. I still listen to it, but online now every Christmas. ❤️
What a pleasant surprise to learn that Neale was involved in this so satisfying song. Several years ago I learned about him in a different context:
In 1852 John Mason Neale (1818–1866) delivered a lecture at Brighton, England which was published as "The Bible, and the Bible Only, The Religion of Protestants." Neale was an Anglican priest and scholar. He declared that the Church of England never was and is not now Protestant.
I found this gem (I read the lecture and found it fascinating) while researching an English family distantly connected to mine.
"I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day."
The full version, Longfellow's poem and spirit shines thru in spite of the personal and collective misery, fear and pain of the times. We could learn from it.
Me neither so... Gonna discover a new world...Ahahah!
What a research was made in the first video...Amazing...Ahahah! Tenacity!
Thank you... You taught me many things with this share. I am grateful!
It has always been my favourite Christmas Carol, too. Takes me back to being in the fourth grade in the late '50s, singing it and others in the classroom while making paper tree decorations. All of that is forbidden now, isn't it.
Most definitely. My son, born 1994, attended NYC public schools and there was zero chance at anything outright Christmas themed. It's sad.
Turns out there was no need of a Grinch.
For musicality and purity of expression, I find Ryba´s Bohemian Christmas Mass hard to beat. It calls for a longer attention span than a song, though.
Good King Wenceslas: shocking that I never knew the words, they so embody the Christmas spirit. Will learn them. Trying to amp up the true holiday spirit, this will sure help. Big thank you
Nice. I looked up the Latin spring song. Thats my favourite at the moment.
An interesting related subtopic -- The Secularization of Christmas in the 20th century, and the wildly disproportionate participation in it of that 2% group:
https://substack.com/profile/25949243-hesperado/note/c-45161793
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.
Or, as I recited as a child, believing the "bad Germans" narrative - "God rest ye Jerry Mentalmen"
Wow. Was my mother's fave. Me too, growing up. "Yonder peasant, who is he?" Me! Me! I thought.
This album was a staple of Christmas in our home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVGqKavBQOs
When I watched the history vid, Ytube brought this one up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUq-MhiY7T0
Never heard these verses. Beautiful 👍🏻
Try the way way back machine. 😆 Merry Christmas 🎄
Thank you so much, Celia! I never knew any of that. You are the best!